Ladybird books

A bit of a photo overload I'm afraid...... so here we go....

The story began about 5 months ago when I came across this book in my local Oxfam......

I remembered how much I enjoyed this book as a child & thought it would be nice for my friends little girl. However after getting it home I decided I couldn't part with it. Remember this......

Always my favourite thing to make. So I looked on the Internet & found loads more information & joined groups on facebook etc, now I'm hooked!!!

I asked my mum if she still had ours, these are the only 2 remaining......

If you look closely you can see our names written very clearly on the front, I'd like to say my written has got better although not much smaller!!!

She also had these.....

These belong to my brother so must date back to the early 80's.

I then found these....

Smoke & Fluff was my favourite one as a child, I took this to my friends house & her little girl loved it, glad to see they don't date. We all read her a story when I go around first daddy, then auntie Joe & finally mummy...... she enjoyed it so much we all had to read it!!!


Glad I was able to find the pair of picture books....

The best picture in the first book....

From the second......I have theses egg cups!!!

Which one is your favourite???

I didn't have any of the 'What to look for...' but I'm sure I had the puppies & kittens

And finally the last 2 that I brought last week....

So that's my collection so far, not that many but I'm working on it. You don't always see them in charity shops, I need to go to a boot sale but the really big one in Exeter is no where near where I live so I have to wait until someone wants to take me.

I really want the knitting, crochet & sewing ones next, I've looked on ebay but I really don't want to pay £5 each....... I'm just happy to wait.

Hope these brought back some happy memories for you all.

Back to work tomorrow :(

Pay it forward

I was lucky enough to be the first person to leave a comment on Sarah's 'pay it forward post'....

For those who don't know, it goes like this - the first three people to leave a comment will receive a hand made gift from me! The only thing you have to do is participate and carry on the gift giving to three more people...as soon as you have left a comment do a "pay it forward post" on your blog and continue the giving.

Sounds good???

Homemade home

Hello, hope you're all enjoying the Easter break..... what lovely weather??? Not sure if everyone has sun but the weather in Devon has been beautiful.

Just a very quick post to make sure you all know about the new Kirstie Allsopp's programme that starts on Thursday 16th April at 8pm on channel 4. It's called Kirstie's homemade home, in the first one she will be chatting to Cath Kidston. Sounds like our kind of programme so I did want anyone to miss out.

I'll be back tomorrow to show you my Ladybird book collection.

A day in the big smoke

Hope everyone made the most of the last sunny day before the bank holiday weekend... I've just seen the weather forecast & it's not looking good. Shame as I have 3 days off.

Yesterday I took the train to the big smoke. It was a lovely journey leaving Exeter at a very bright & early 6.55!!! The sun was out, I read my book & enjoyed the peace & quite.... that is until the lady behind me started to eat a packet of crisps!!!!

I had a managers meeting in the Tottenham Court Road Store..... it was ok but I did feel like Alan Sugar was going to walk in at anytime. Maybe I should enter the apprentice next year...LOL!

The meeting was planned to finish at 4pm but at 3.15 she called it a day...yippee!!!

I was asked to go for coffee with the other people before getting our trains but I thought heck no...I'm off..... I have a date with...........

Yes that's right I had to pay Cath a visit. I was really pleased with myself because I normally just come home because I don't like walking around London on my own...boring....but yesterday I went for it. So after a bit of a (hot) walk I found Cath & all was well. I went to buy the boat hankie but they had sold out...never mind I found some other things.

Some dusters, a very cheap box (only £1!!), a lovely red spotty bowl & some fabric. Now I'm not sure what I'm going to make but I'll think of something.

So why stop there..... normally when I go to London I leave OH in the pub & hurry around but yesterday my train didn't leave until 5pm so I took a wander in Marylebone High Street.

I went to VV Rouleaux & brought some ribbon.....



I had really been looking forward to visiting but I wasn't impressed with the service.

Then I headed back to Baker Street tube & I spotted good old Emma Bridgewater....





Just had to buy this mug, I looked at it in Bristol but didn't buy it.... it takes along time for me to spend money!!! I knew as soon as I got home I would regret not buying it so I did it....

Now I need to sort my shelves out in the kitchen as they're too full.

Today was back to normal rubbish shops!! I did pop to Oxfam & another charity shop in my lunch break & brought theses goodies......

I love plastic knitting needles & I also found a crochet hook, I did have to ask & they brought out a big box...LOL! The lovely hankies were 50p for 3 ....bargain.... cheaper then CK but maybe not as nice!!!
I've been collecting ladybird books for a bout 6 months so I was pleased to find these.
I must show you my collection soon.

Only 1 day to go before my break.

Sunny Sunday.....

Hope you're all enjoying the lovely sunshine today. I was hoping to get out in the garden but as I haven't had a day off since Monday the housework took over.

I did remember to get batteries for the stupid camera yesterday so as promised here's the gift Mel sent me......

A lovely little bag that just the right size for my lunch box & book, at the moment it's full of craft things as I had to clear the table to clean it!!! Inside the bag was some really helpful cooking leaflets.

Also some fantastic vintage CK fabric...... thanks so much Mel..... I hate cutting up fabric but I really must make some thing with this so I've decided to make a cushion cover. Now the problem is my sewing machine has a red bobbin at the moment & I'm not sure how to change it...... you see me & bobbins don't get on, when I was young my mum used to let us use her sewing machine & I used to always get the bobbin all knotted up. When I left home I brought a 1960's singer & I had the same problem, Dad was so fed up of collecting it, mum mending it & him bring it back only to do the same thing a few months later that it now lives at mum's. The new machine is supposed to be easy but I to scared just in case I mess it up!!!!!

Thought I would try to make my plant stand look a little better.....

I've just chucked some small plants on until I can find the ones I want...... not sure what they've called but I'll know them when I see them. OH hates it, it reminds him of his childhood....his Auntie had one but I think it's his fault for being so old...LOL!!!!

Sal did a great post about Otto retro, hope you all saw it.

Do you like the union jack flag I found????

Is anyone else collecting this magazine?????

Issue 2 is now out...... unfortunately I haven't had any spare time to sit & read it cover to cover but it looks really good. Every year I plan not to plant too much because I don't have the time to look after it but I always get carried away.

This is my salad bar last July....just look at that sun. My dad made me this to try & stop the cats from getting in (it's waist height)..... I think you know why..LOL!!

I've just enjoyed some lovely curly kale from the garden..... I thought it had died but it's come back with a vengeance....yummy!!! I also have loads of spinach so I'll be eating something with spinach for dinner next week. Can't wait to get growing again..... so rewarding.

My goodness it's nearly 3pm.... that can only mean one thing..... tea & cake....must dash!!!

Have you read this....??????

It's excellent......... well worth a read even though it does go it to great detail about child birth!!!! If I didn't want any before it has definitely put me off!!!!

I don't think I've ever read a book so fast.... today I was very naughty & took an extra 10 mins on my tea break.... don't think anyone noticed...... I was enjoying reading it so much I just forgot about the time!!!!

I received a lovely parcel form MelMel on Tuesday, I tried to take a photo to share it with you but guess what???....... my batteries had ran out...again!!!

I'll try & get some tomorrow..... back on Sunday see you then......

Otto Retro in Exeter......

On Tuesday I went here...... Otto Retro

If you live locally & love retro furniture do pay them a visit..... it's fantastic!!!

I've tried not to go because I knew what would happen & I was right!!! I fell in love with everything but I find it expensive. I went 3 weeks ago & saw this.....

I've been looking for one of these since I moved to the new house 3 years ago...I thought it would look great in the porch but now the porch is full!!!!

At £10 I didn't buy it but then spent the next 3 weeks thinking about it so I ran down before going to Brownies. I then had to get it home on the bus....... lots of people were looking at me & I was hoping they were thinking....'wow look at that fantastic plant stand'......however I think they were thinking.....'OMG look at that old piece of tat'!!!!

Now I need to find some plants to go on it..... I'm thinking of getting some nice fakes....what do you think??? Also need to find a home for it......look at those awful wires..LOL!!!

This is what I brought the first time.......

He's a nut cracker...... they had them in Sainsbury's at Christmas & I had it on my Christmas list but didn't get one. They were really cheap which is why they sold out...... this was on sale for £10!!! I managed to knock her down to £6 but I still think it was expensive.

Hope you're all having a good week.